Buckle.



G. R. NETTLETON.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED. Nov. 2. I9I5.

Patented J Illy mL mmm.. wsrsns "animan sauras ramena cranica.

GEORGE R. NETTLETON, OF NEW HAVEIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORTO THE W. & E.T. FITCH CO., OF NEV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

BUCKLE.

i ,ieassa Specification of Letters Patent. Ptnijed July 25 1916Application filed November 2, 1915. Serial No. 59,314.

T0 all 107mm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. NETTLETON, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Buckles; andI do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings and the characters of reference marked thereon, tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which saiddrawings constitute part of this application, and represent, in-

Figure 1 a top or plan view of a buckle constructed in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 a side view of the same. Fig. 3 asectional view onthe line a-b of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 a sectional View on the line cfl of Fig.1 showing the buckle in connection with a web. Fig. 5 a plan view of amodi fied form of my invention. Fig. 6 a sectional view of anothermodification. Fig. 7 a plan view of a buckle embodying my invention andshowing a bearing for the spring lever on the side bars of the frame.

This invention relates to an improvement in buckles particularlydesigned for use in connection with a fabric strap where it is desirableto hold the strap by -friction rather than by means of a lever withteeth which are liable to cut a webbing strap.

rlhe object of this invention is to provide a buckle with a tensionlever and with means for increasing the tension as the lever opens; andthe invention consists in a buckle having certain details ofconstruction as will be hereinafter described and particularly recitedin the claims.

In carrying out my invention l employ a frame having a front bar 2, rearbar 3, side bars 4, 5. The rear bar is arranged above the plane of thesides so as to form a tuck loop, and near this rear bar is an attachingbar 6 which is slightly set inward from the frame. Substantially midwayof the buckle is a pivot bar 7 formed with a rearwardly projecting lug8, and between this pivot bar and the front bar is a transversesupporting bar 9. Pivotally mounted on the pivot bar is a lever 10formed with ears 11 and 12 which are folded around the pivot bar so asto pivotally connect the lever therewith. The lever is also formed witha. rearwardly projecting finger-piece 13 and with an integral springtongue 14 which projects over the lug S the rear end of which, however,protected by the finger piece so that it is not liable to be caught bythe web passing over it. The fixed end of the web 15 is secured to thebar 6, while the free end 16 of the web passesupward between the frontbar and the end of the lever over the lever and under the rear bar ortuck loop 3. The lever is so proportioned in length as to meet the inneredge of the front bar which inner edge is tapered, and any strain uponthe strap tends to draw the end of the lever into close contact with theinner edge of the front bar and the outer end of the lever is forceddownward by the engagement of the spring tongue 14 with the lug 8. Todisengage the web it is only necessary to press downward upon thelinger-piece 13 which lifts the outer end of the lever away from thefront bar, such movement placing greater tension upon the spring tongue14 so that when the lipger-piece is released it will snap back into pace.

In buckles for wide webs it might be desirable to provide two springtongues. Thus as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings the pivot bar 17 isprovided with two lugs, and the lever 1S with two spring tongues 19 and2O on opposite sides of the finger-piece 21, the spring tongues being inline with the lugs on the pivot bar. Instead of having the lug projectrearward from the pivot bar, a lug 22 might project forward from thepivot bar 7 and the spring 23 instead of bearing upon the upper surfaceof the lug might be bent to bear upon the under face, as shown in Fig.6. lt will also be apparent, and as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings,that instead of forming the lug on the pivot bar, lugs 24 may be formedon one or both of the side bars 4 and 5 in line with the spring tongues25 on the lever and obtain the same result as above specified, it onlybeing essential that the frame be provided with a lug in the path of aspring tongue formed integral with the lever.

I claim 1. A buckle comprising a frame including a pivot bar, a levermounted on said pivot bar, said lever formed with an integralspring-tongue, and a lug in the path of said tongue and on which thespring-tongue bears.

2. A buckle comprising a frame including a pivot bar, saicl pivot barformed With a With a lug and a lever pvotally mounted on lug, a levermounted on said pivot bar and said pivot bar7 saidl lever adapted toco-act 10 formed with an integral spring tongue with the front bar 'ofthe buckle said lever adapted to bear upon said lug. formed With arearwardly projecting nger- 5 3. A buckle comprisinga frame having apiece and with a spring tongue for'mecl intey front bar, a rear bar, anattaching bar forgral with the` lever and projecting into con- Ward ofthe rear bar, a pivot bar between tact with the said lug. the ends ofthe buckle, said pivot bar formed GEORGE R. NETTLETON.

Copies of this patent may be obtainedrfor ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

